Saturday, July 12, 2003, 02:38 GMT
I am from Taiwan.Now,I am living in America and working in Mexico near the border(So,everyday I go abroad to work! :))
As I realized the most typical way to learn a foreign language is to learn
the characters word by word ,then the whole sentence.But you may be reminded the natural way how we learned our language when we were children.So,the way we were learning a language maybe violate our instinct.
At first,I think it's difficult for a foreigner to learn Mandarin,especially learn Chinese characters.However,the most impossible thing is that a foreigner can speak Mandarin fluently without learning Chinese characters .But I've changed my mind since I heard an officer in American Embassy talking in fluent Mandarin with a native speaker ,like " I could fully understand your words,but I can't verify(understand) your documentation"
You maybe think the officer speak better than read .It's nothing especial!
But,have you guys even done this way?learn a second language and end up speaking better than reading?
As I realized the most typical way to learn a foreign language is to learn
the characters word by word ,then the whole sentence.But you may be reminded the natural way how we learned our language when we were children.So,the way we were learning a language maybe violate our instinct.
At first,I think it's difficult for a foreigner to learn Mandarin,especially learn Chinese characters.However,the most impossible thing is that a foreigner can speak Mandarin fluently without learning Chinese characters .But I've changed my mind since I heard an officer in American Embassy talking in fluent Mandarin with a native speaker ,like " I could fully understand your words,but I can't verify(understand) your documentation"
You maybe think the officer speak better than read .It's nothing especial!
But,have you guys even done this way?learn a second language and end up speaking better than reading?